All The Home Forum
- Heeding her invitation, six decades later
A son unpacks a long-ago memory of a walk with his mother and finally appreciates the delight she intended.
- How a childhood dream came true
So many horse books I’d read had that dramatic night ride scene in them. Then one day, I got to live the fantasy.
- How I’ve spent my extra time
I’d always wanted to watch bushtits build their astonishing nests. Now I had a front-row seat, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Seeing China face-to-face
Shorthand turns people into monoliths – until we step closer, into their homes and lives and hearts.
- Zumba in lockdown
With social distancing and videoconferencing, every home can now become a music-filled exercise studio.
- Out of quarantine, and into my heart
Bleu needed a temporary respite from the shelter, and I was newly bereft of a pet. And now we’re in this together.
- Too many figs! Or so I thought.
I ate them. I made jam. I gave them to friends. I sold them. I grew desperate. Enter the Fish People.
- Recalling close quarters
Once, my family stayed in a fishing cabin for three months. It was stressful, and our routines were upended. But I loved it.
- Hannah and Kate put their chickens at ease
Buying a home today is not for the faint of heart or slow of speed. But fortunately, steadiness prevails.
- A books network in Zimbabwe is now a front-line virus response
Monitor readers still supply books, but now the group has found new purpose in helping communities prepare for the coronavirus pandemic.
- Two crises, two gardens
In World War II Britain, my grandmother’s garden was a refuge – as is mine today during the coronavirus pandemic.
- A listless life
I’m not going to be sure I’ve seen a “life list” bird until it’s 10 feet away and looks like a Victorian lady’s hat. But I’m OK with that.
- Aunt Ruth’s photo philosophy
My aunt would return from trips abroad with a carousel of slides that captured the towns, countrysides, and especially animals she encountered.
- Hung up on time
Our daughter was constantly checking her clock. Ironically, the pandemic brought peace after we took her timepiece away.
- A gift that kept me grounded
The lasting value of my grandfather’s graduation present wasn’t clear at first. But over time, I've come to understand its pricelessness.
- What is it about a fresh, warm bagel?
It evokes childhood memories, it’s what expats long for, and it comes from just one place: New York City.
- This is what freedom looks like, people
Milk and garbage trucks once plied these unpaved alleys. Now look at them. They're almost impassable because the blackberry bushes have taken over.
- Only the carrots were predictable
A succession of farm animals taught the author never to expect any semblance of routine – except when it came to snacktime.
- How a snack cake gave me a glimpse of the future
My teenage son is prone to eye rolls and sassy comebacks. But an encounter in a parking lot showed me a gentler side.
- The stuff of happiness
Growing up, I didn’t have much, so I remember all of it. And that may be a promise of future joy in my life.